The Last Life
by ManiacAnimalLover
Summary: A 12 year old girl and her  4 year old sister, try to find a new life after being beaten and abused by their parents. Read on if you want to find out more! Oh, and PLEASE REVEIW! :D
1. The Beginnings

_Sorry about the title, it's all i could think of! This is a story, about an older girl and her younger sister, running away and finding a new life after they were abused and beaten by their parents. PLEASE reveiw! If you don't, well...HOW RUDE! Oh, and YES I will keep updating._

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**Sandiego, CA August 9, 2010**

"Mommy, I didn't mean too." I cried, tears filling my eyes. I had come home late from school, as I had missed the bus.

"It doesn't matter, you did it anyway. I hate you two brats!" Our mother yelled, slapping me across the face.

I ran into my bedroom and hid, but she pulled me out and beat me...That night, while everyone was asleep I awoke my sister. "Adreah, we have to get out of here." I whispered. My soft spoken sister nodded, in agreement.

I silently walked over to the window while my sister followed. I pulled on it, but it wouldn't budge.

"Help!" I yelled in a soft voice. We both tugged on it and finally, it opened with a big thug. We jumped out. As I was boosted Adreah out, our mother yells, "Girls, what are you doing?"

"Hurry!" We started running, as fast as we could. It was a cool and stormy night. Foggy, you could not even see what was before you. You could hear the rain, trickeling from the trees above. We had to keep running. There was no way out. _They_ would catch us. I grabbed my little sister's hand and we ran off threw the trees, not looking back, not going back. I tried to close my ears, trying, just trying, not to hear the screams coming from behind us. It was then and there, that we had to live on our own.

**That Morning**

I didn't sleep that night, to worried that our parents would catch us, and the beating would start all over again. I did however read my favorite book, I just couldn't let go. "Penguins of Madagascar." I've read it 20 times or more, but it never gets old.

My 4 year old sister, Adreah, was fast asleep, huddled against me.

We had slept on the ground last night. Making a bed from leaves and huddling together for warmth. I kept thinking, _what would happen to us, what are we going to do?_

I hadn't thought this over. All I knew, was that we had to get away, and that was that. It was still foggy, I couldn't see if there was any civilization close. It would be to dangerous. This _life_ would be dangerous, but better than the last one. My name is Jessie, I'm 12 years old. My sister's name is Adreah, and she's 4 years old. Our parents have always beaten us. When I was seven, I had to go to school with a black eye. When I was 10, I had to go to school with slap markings across my face. My sister had no better life either. We've always been really close. When our parents, would fight. We'd have someone to comfort us. When we got beaten. We would comfort eachother again. Our lifes have always been difficult. I've never been to malls, zoo's, or anything fun. My sister hasn't ever went to a playground. (What kid hasn't been to a playground! That's like a child's dream!)

Once the fog started clearing I awoke my sister, still asleep. "What?" She whimpered, still half asleep.

"Come on, we need to see if we can find food." Now that I had said that aloud, I was pretty hungry. We hadn't had dinner last night either. Our mother said it was our _punishment._

"Can't you go by yourself?"

"No, I can't leave you here, your only 4."

"Fine." She mumbles, while slowly standing up with leaves in her hair.

We took a few steps, then realized we weren't even in the woods, there was civilization everywhere. I checked my pockets for money, and only had a dollar and five cents. That would buy us some frenchfries, or chicken nuggets from Mcdonalds. We walked up to the fast food place and go in. We've never went to Mcdonalds, but we knew that it had to be good. "What would you guys like?"

"Uh...What will this get us?" I asked. I had no experience doing this, and felt stupid more not knowing what we could get.

"Well, it can get you..." The man said, making a list.

"We'll just have chicken nuggets please." I stoped him in the middle of his list.

"Okay, will that be all?"

"Yes...bye." I studdered.

We walk out, take a drink from the water fountain and leave. We sit down at a nearby bench and start eating. We portioned it out, 2 for each of us. Well, atleast we got to eat.


	2. The Discovery

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_Thanks everyone for the reveiws! I really appriciate it! Well, here's the sencond chapter!_

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While Adreah was finishing eating, I looked around just to see where we could go. I noticed a sign, pointing left. It said "Central Park Zoo." Like I said, I've never gone to a zoo, neither had Adreah. Once she had finished, we started walking that way. People were staring at us, probably asking, _I wonder where their parents are? _I didn't care where our parents were, and never would. Once we got to the gate, we just walked in. _Hopefully there wasn't an admission, or we'd be in big trouble._No one noticed us, so I think we were fine. It was getting late, maybe 9:00-10:00pm."Come on! Let's go see the birdies!" Adreah announced. I couldn't beleive how loud she yelled, she never, ever had spoken that loud.

"Okay." I proclaim, following my little sister.

I could see Adreah's eyes widen, as she got closer to the penguins. "Hi birdie!" She exclaimed.

_There penguins_, I thought to myself, but she is only 4. "Jess! The birdies say hi!" Jess, is what she calls me. She's not very good at the ending letters of names. "They really are!" She mumbles.

I roll my eyes, but then listen carefully. I did hear them talking!

**Skipper's point of veiw...**

"Why are those kids staring at us?" I asked Kowalski.

"Hmmm...I don't know. Perhaps we smell?" He answers.

I smell the air, and then answer, "No, no, no, it's almost like they can hear us!"

"Nonsense! We're penguins, they can't hear us! It's a known fact!" Kowalski proclaims.

"Skippa? Do you really think they hear us?" Private asks.

Before he could answer, the kid's eye's widen and there mouth open in aw, and that answered their question, all together.

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**Back to Jessie's point of veiw...**

"Uh... Adreah, come on, let's go see the tigers." I proclaimed, acting like that never happened. _We can hear them?  
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_"Okay!" She smiles, then runs off.

"Wait!...Oh, well." I mumble following my little sister. Who knows where she'll be going. I take one more glimpse at the penguins then, keep walking.

We look at all the animals, then realize the zoo was about to close for the night. An intercom proclaimed, that we must leave the zoo. Instead, we hid in the bushes, it would be easier to stay here, rather than making a bed from leaves in the middle of the forest. Once we knew it was okay to come out and the zoo was locked up, we look around. I've never been in a place, closed. The only exhibit light that was on was the penguin's. _The penguins! _I thought to myself. "Adreah! Come on!" I exclaim to my little sister.

We start running to the penguin's exhibit. They were still awake, as we could hear a television? Who knew animals watched telivision!

**Private's point of veiw...**

"Skippa! I think those kids are back!" I announce.

"Nonsense. The zoo is closed. No people are allowed here." Skipper proclaims.

"Look though!" I exclaim, looking threw the telescope.

"They are. Hmmm..." He says.

We all go out, wondering why they were still here. "If you can hear us, who are you?" Skipper asks the 2 young looking humans.

**Back to Jessie's point of veiw...**

"Uhhh, I'm Jessie and this is my little sister, Adreah. How can we hear you?" I ask studdering.

"How am I suppose to know? Why are you guys here?" The shortest penguin asked.

"We have to stay here, we ran away from home after being beaten and come here." Those were the only words I could think of saying, I mean, I wasn't going to lie.


	3. Grateful Hands

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_Thanks again everyone! And, well like always, PLEASE REVEIW! I beg you=P_

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There we stood, in complete silence. There were so many things I could've said, but I decided to wait, until they made a statement. "Hmmm...So, your just here let alone?" The shortest penguin asked (Skipper).

"Well, yes, we have been since last night, when we ran away." I proclaimed. Adreah wasn't being as joyful as she had before, standing behind me for comort.

The youngest looking penguin (Private), whispers to Skipper, "Maybe we should help them!"

"I don't know Private, they seem suspicious..." The tallest penguin (Kowalski) proclaimed in a whisper, making sure we couldn't hear them correctly.

"There just a couple of kids, come on!" Private murmers.

"Okay, okay, they can come and have something to eat. Do you like fish?" He asks.

"Sure!" I said gratefully. They were going to give us food, we wouldn't NOT take the offer.

We walked down slippery, cement steps to their shelter. The Zoo had done a good job on building it. They had beds, a refrigerator, TV, a whole lot of science objects and obstacle courses. This was a dream land compared to where we came from. It was getting later than late for us. We were use to going to bed at 10:00, and right now, it was 12:31am. The day had gone on so fast. "What would you like? Rico makes great sushi." The short one said.

"Uh, who's Rico?" Adreah asks, "And whats Sushi?"

"Oh, that reminds me. We forgot to introduce ourselves. I'm Skipper, that's Private, Kowalski and Rico."

I answer Adreah's question on sushi too. "Oh, so that's what it is!" She exclaimed. Now, she was back to her happy self. I think she was just stunned that there was talking penguins.

We sat down, and watched _Rico _make the sushi. It was so fast, it was hard to even see what happened. Within the blink of the eye, he was finished making it. We ate it like crazy, no offense but I was starving! I didn't want to look like a pig, so I tried to eat slowly, but Adreah didn't think about politness in this situation. "How do you like the sushi?" Private asks.

"It's VERY good." I smiled. I was just grateful for all that they've done. It was the first time I've had sushi, as of Adreah's too. After that, we all watched TV. Adreah dozed off in the middle of the cooking channel though, I was right behind her. My eye's started closing, as I too started dozing off. Within a minute, I was fast asleep along with Adreah. I don't remember anything else that. I must have been knocked out!


	4. New Findings

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_Sorry I haven't updated in a while, but thanks for reveiwing this story:)_

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I woke up gazed. Adreah was laying beside me, still fast asleep. The only thing I could hear was the dripping of water coming from above. I silently got up, making sure not to wake Adreah. I looked around. It looked like a totally new site than it was last night. _I must have been tired! _Walking around, each step I took sounded like a stampede of elephants. The penguins were still fast asleep, I was suprised. When I looked at them closely, they were wearing head phones?

_Thump, thump_...I heard from above._ Thump, thump, thump..._ It came louder. Adreah quickely popped up from her cacoon under the covers.

"What is that?" She asked, her eyes wide open.

"I'm no sure, I think it's music!" I stated doubtfully. _Why would there be music this time of morning?_

I grabbed Adreah's arm and we stepped outside. Across the zoo, loud disco music was going off. The day was still dim, and the wind was chilly. It was around 6am, and the zoo was still not open yet. We stepped closer and closer to the music as it got louder and more clearer the further we went. Once we got close enough, we saw 3 lemurs dancing! Adreah started to giggle, then they noticed us.

"Hey little people, what are you doing here?" The tallest Lemur asked, still dancing.

"Uh, we're just looking around." I announced.

"The penguins let us stay with them." Adreah smirked.

"The penguins? Oh, they are so annoying. If you don't know who I am, I'm King Julien." He stated strongly pointing at his _crown_.

"Annoying? They've been very nice to us." I said.

"Can I have a banana, King Julien?" The smallest lemur asked.

"No Mort, go fan me. I need all the beauty food I can get." The _king _announced. Then they suddenly walked away and started dancing again.

"Well, there not very nice!" Adreah whispered as we walked back to the penguin habitat.

"Talk about it." I replied.


	5. Maybe, Just Maybe

_Thanks for reviewing everyone! If you read this story, you MUST review! :)_

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The day started to get brighter, as we headed back to the penguin's habitat. Looking around, it was silent as can be. The only thing I could here was the rustling of leaves dancing in the wind. The disco music had stopped as well. We stepped down the small, concrete stairs, into a room of darkness. We knew the penguins were still asleep.

"They are sleep heads!" Adreah announced, letting everybody know.

Finally, one had woke up from the stirring of their home. It was Private. "You sleep a long time." Adreah told Private.

"Well, those lemurs kept us up all night." He said, rubbing his eyes still half asleep.

"Lemurs? We met some earlier. They were playing loud music." I murmered.

"Yeah, they weren't very nice." Adreah smirked.

One after another, the rest of the penguins woke up from our conversation.

Yawning, Skipper asks, "What do you want for breakfast? Fish, fish, or uh fish? We have a lot of fish." Skipper smiled.

"Oh, fish is fine." I answered.

"So, how long have you been gone from your old home?" Private murmers.

"Two days, and I'm glad." I announced, starting to frown.

"Our mommy and daddy were mean! They beat us..." Adreah said starting to get tears in her eyes.

We told them how we got here, how our old life was and why we had to leave. It all seemed so long ago, but it was actually just 2 days that we've been gone.

"Well, that won't happen here. You can stay as long as you need." Private announces, smiling.

Even though I didn't know if we were going to even stay, I said thank you to show my gratitude toward the penguins. I was worried if our parents would come, if the orphanage would take us, or even the police. _Where are we going to go next? Are we just going to stay here eating fish our whole life?_ I wanted better for my sister, but for now it was fine...


	6. New Meetings

_Thanks again for reveiwing, and keep it up! I'm very grateful XD_

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The penguins were stunned by our story. They didn't expect our life to be so dramatic. It was silence in the penguin cave until Skipper brightened the mood by announcing, "Well, since your staying here a while, you should meet your neighbors!"

"Sure!" Adreah giggled, as the penguins showed us the way out. The zoo was about to open, as the day started to get bright.

We first went to the otter exhibit. There was a young, scruffy otter and a red feathered penguin playing in the water with a plastic, foam ball. "Oh, hey Private!" The young penguin smiled.

"Hey, sis!" Private answers. "This is my sister, Sam and her friend Faye." Private announces, turning towards us.

"Are you guys new here?" Sam asked, staring at us with caring eyes.

"Uh, well, yes we are." I murmered back.

"Don't be shy, what's your guy's names?" Faye wondered.

"This is Jessi, and that's Adreah. They'll be staying with us for a while." Skipper answered for us.

"We should go see the rest of the zoo, before it opens." Kowalski said.

"Okay, well nice meeting you!" Adreah smiled to the two waving critters.

"See, you later!" Sam laughed.

We go to visit the rest of the zoo animals, until we come to the lemurs. "Uh, lets just skip this habitat." Skipper proclaimed, but it was to late. The 3 lemurs had already spotted us from above.

"Oh hey little penguins!" Julien announced.

"We're just showing our new guests around the zoo." Private smiled.

"Well, I'm Julien, that's Mort and that's, uh...what's your name again?" Julien smirked.

"Maurice?" The gray, chunky lemur proclaimed frowning.

"Oh, right! Well, I need my beauty sleep, I just forgot." Julien answered.

"Yeah, we're going to go back to their house, but nice seeing you!" I answered, with a fake smile on my face.

We walk back to the penguins habitat. "How do you like your new neighbors?"

"Oh, they're great, but the lemurs are a little..." I stuttered.

"Yeah, we get that a lot." Private smiled.


	7. Familiar Faces

_PLEASE REVIEW! REMEMBER...EVEN IF YOU JUST READ THE SUMMARY! YOU HAVE TO REVIEW IT! XD THANKS EVERYONE:)_

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The zoo had finally opened and the children started piling in one after another. I could see why we had to visit our new neighbors before the zoo opened. It would've been a mad house. The children all seemed amazed by the penguins. With there big eyes and anxious motions, you could tell they wished they could just come out and touch one of the animals. While the children were drooling over the penguins, we quickly jumped back over the gate and acted like an ordinary kid, visiting the zoo. The zoo seemed different during open hours, than it did when we were wandering around while it was closed.

"Jessi, can we go get something to eat, other than fish?" Adreah pouted. I could tell she was getting annoyed with having to eat fish.

"But, I don't have any money." I proclaimed to Adreah. All of a sudden, Adreah's eye's popped out of her head and she ran over to a lonely dollar, lying on the ground. She picked it up, and handed it to me.

"See, now we have money." Adreah smirked, joking with me.

It was a twenty dollar bill and could defiantly get us some real food. We walked around deciding what to get. Suddenly something in the air started too smell good. I could almost taste it! We walked over to the cart, that said "Hot Dogs." A man with a funny hat was standing there, giving them out.

"Uh, what are these made of?" I stuttered, the name had caught me off guard.

"Oh, these are hog dogs. There made of pig. Would you guys like a couple? They're a dollar each."

"Sure, we'll take two please." I announced, taking the plate from the man with a funny hat.

"Thank you!" I smiled to the man, as we walked away and sat on a bench nearby. Watching all the people walk by and stuffing our mouths full of bread and hot dog, I saw somebody I new. Looking closely, it was a couple. A man and woman. They were waling with a police man, then and there I knew, they were our parents...


	8. The Presents

There our parents were. Just feet away from us. The people that abused and ruined our lives. I hid by face with my hair and told Adreah to put her pink hoodie up over her face. "Come on, lets go back to the penguin habitat." I whispered to my confused sister.

"Why, I'm not done yet though?" Adreah whispered back.

"Do you want our parents to catch us?" I murmered.

Adreah gasped at the sight of our parents, and she followed me in agreement. Right when we were almost out of their sight, the police officer had noticed us. We were caught, we were going back to the house of misery. "Are, these your kids mam?" The supicious woman asked.

"Yes, those are our kids." She frowned.

Tears started running down Adreah and I's face. "Come on, we're going home." She shouted kindly, trying to show she's a _good_ mother to the police officer.

"No, we're not going home with you. You beat us, that's why we left. You ruined our lives, in so many ways. We're not leaving anywhere with you, ever again." I cried. The police officer had heard our conversation, and came walking back.

"Is this true mam? Did you abuse your children?" The woman asked frowned in a stirn tone.

"Nonsense. I love my children." She said.

"No, she doesn't. She even said she hate us..." Adreah pouts, tears filling her eyes and soaking her face. Adreah showed the woman all of her scars and bruises.

"Mam, I'm sorry. I'm going to have to take you and your children down to the station for some talking." She said appauled by the woman.

"But..." Our mother said.

"Mam, come on." The police officer said encouraging her to come.

The police officer lead us to the police car. Our parents sat in the front and we sat in the back, as far away from them as possible...


	9. Justice Will Come

_PLEASE REVIEW AND I HOPE YOU ENJOY THE STORY:)_

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"The girls have been gone a while. Somethings, suspicious." Skipper said, raising one brow. "Hurry, put up the decoys, lets go look for them."

The penguins slid out of their habitat while no ones looking, and begin there search. "Rico, have your go anything?" Private asks, watching Rico look like a bloodhound.

"Guava way!" Rico mumbles, making the others follow his tracks.

Kowalski gasps. "From these calculations, the girls got into a car!"

"Come on! We need to follow them before we loose their track!" Skipper announces.

The group of 5 penguins run after the police car that carries the abusive parents, and 2 children.

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_Jessie's point of view again..._

I look at the stranger sitting in the back seat. The mom I had never even really known. She was frowning; worried she'd go to jail for all she's done to us. We were the innocent ones, she was the abuser. The care ride was quiet. The sound of dancing trees were in the air, newly cut grass fumigated the air surrounding me, and I felt drizzling water pounding on the top of the car. Hopefully, we'd get justice.


	10. Rough Night

_Review:) This is going to be a good chapter! _

_REVIEW, I BEG YOU! XD_

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It was getting late, the sun was setting. The car ride was timid and tension fumigated the air. Finally we came to a stop. I looked up, and saw a sign stating, "Central Park Police Station." Our 'mother' and 'father,' in handcuffs was led out of the police car by the police officer. We weren't far behind them. Suddenly, I heard the whacking of bush leaves against the police station wall. I looked over, as did Adreah, and noticed the three penguins waving at us. We both smiled in relief.

"Um, I'm going to go take a breather over there." I stated to the police officer who nodded. Adreah followed close behind.

"What are you guys doing here?" Adreah asked, grinning from ear to ear. I on the other hand was also happy, but scared of what would come with us.

"We're here to rescue you." Private murmured in the bushes covering his face.

"But, we can't leave. They'll just catch us again!" I frowned worriedly.

Skipper, had his thinking face on. He finally announced, "Go in, we'll not be far behind you."

Adreah's eyes widened, but we both nodded in agreement. The police officer came and led us into the building. I kept looking back making sure they were following. Everytime I did, they were doing so as they said they would.

The hallway widened into a large cell area. Our 'parents' were led into one cell, and we were taken to the waiting area. Behind a bushy, green, ficus plant, was Skipper, Private and Rico. _Atleast we had some company, _I thought to myself. Hours went by, and the penguins laid asleep in the plant, waiting for a signal. Adreah was laying against me like a pillow while sound asleep, as it was past her bed time. I looked at the blurry clock in the corner which stated it was 2:31a.m. Noticing how late it was I quickely dozed off and dreamed about the next day, us getting justice, and having a great life with a new family...

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**Dreaming...**

"Would you like some fish?" Private smiled as we had just woken up.

"We're back at the penguin habitat?" I asked, while Adreah was sniffing the air.

"Of course! you can stay with us forever now." Skipper proclaimed.

"What happened to our 'parents'?" I asked in a sigh of relief.

"They're in jail forever." Private stated. "You won't have to worry about them ever again...again...again..."

**Reality...**

I was suddenly awaken by a tall, male, police officer. _Now what?_ I said to myself, waking up Adreah and the penguins still hidden in the ficus.

"Is it morning already?" Adreah yawned while stretching her arms to the ceiling. It had been a rough night, and the chairs were not comfy. Where were we going now, was all that was on my mind.


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